10/31/2007

Volvo’s unveiled its new XC70 SR at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA), being held in Las Vegas from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2. The car, Volvo indicates, was designed to emulate lifeguard vehicles seen at many California beaches. The four-door SUV features a 5-inch-lift suspension for improved ground clearance, heavily modified body panels, and specially-made oversized tires with a tread designed for increased grip on loose and sandy soil. The XC70 also includes first-aid equipment and custom rescue surfboards.

10/30/2007

SummaryIf its styling agrees with you, then the rest of the 2008 Infiniti QX56 should, too, thanks to an improved interior and plenty of high-tech goodies.ProsHigh-tech electronic features, powerful and refined V8, impressive balance of ride and handling, massive towing capacity, roomy second- and third-row seats.

What's New for 2008The Infiniti QX56 undergoes its first major freshening since its debut. The 2008 QX56 has subtle styling changes, a significant redesign of its interior and the addition of new standard and optional equipment that brings it more in line with other top, large luxury SUVs.

Powertrains and PerformanceThe 2008 QX56 is offered with either 2WD or 4WD with low-range gearing. Power comes from a 5.6-liter V8 that produces a healthy 320 horsepower and 393 pound-feet of torque. The V8 is matched to a standard five-speed automatic transmission. The QX56 is quick for a full-size SUV, going from zero to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds. Towing capacity is 9,000 pounds on rear-wheel-drive models when properly equipped. As is typical for this class of vehicle, gas mileage is poor, with 12 mpg city and 17/18 mpg highway using the EPA's revised 2008 testing regimen.

LAS VEGAS — The over-the-top graphics on the Dodge Dakota MX Warrior concept at the 2007 SEMA Show make more sense when you understand how one of its co-creators spends his spare time.

Scott Waraniak, a design student at Detroit's College for Creative Studies, is also a motocrosser who races KTM bikes and is no stranger to flying dirt, rocks, adrenaline and horsepower. Hence the orange-and-battleship-gray vinyl wrap on the Dakota MX Warrior laid on top of the "surf blue" exterior. By the way, that's Waraniak's bike in the back of the Dakota, which Dodge likes to promote as more of a personal leisure vehicle instead of a workhorse like its bigger sibling.

The Dakota MX Warrior gets a suspension that's raised 4 inches, 20-inch Mopar chrome wheels and 31-inch tires. Other touches include a custom hood with one-off intake scoopers to feed air into the 4.7-liter Magnum V8. Custom steel bumpers and an integrated winch mounted on the front bumper round out the package.

What this means to you: A must-see if you're into motocross and Detroit muscle.

San Francisco and Silicon Valley become “smart Valley” as the smart USA Media Test Drive event takes place in one of America’s “smartest” regions. The new smart fortwo is scheduled to roll on the streets of America in January. The shortest and most compact automobile currently in production will soon be launched in the world’s largest automobile market. The smart fortwo is the right car, at the right time for U.S. Drivers. Americans are faced with volatile fuel prices, increased urban congestion and a mindset of environmental responsibility. The smart fortwo offers a high level of comfort, agility, safety and ecology. Its unique features and attributes meet consumer wishes now and well into the 21st century.The Media Test Drive location was carefully chosen. California is a key market in the United States. The State of California and the Silicon Valley in particular, is a leading area in the United States for design, technology and environmental awareness. These features characterize the smart fortwo. Furthermore, both the smart brand and the model have roots in Silicon Valley dating back more then ten years. The Silicon Valley also stands for an open minded America. smart expresses the lifestyle of an enlightened and forward-thinking social class with joie de vivre that cannot be defined by age or social standing, but rather by an attitude, lifestyle and open-minded outlook on life. smart isn’t just another micro-car, it’s a statement by enlightened drivers of the 21st century who look at future challenges and actively and positively impact outcomes. Like owning an Apple i-Mac, i-Pod or i-Phone, smart documents the open-minded attitude of the “thought leaders”, who choose innovative solutions as an existential part of their everyday lives.The stops of the smart Media Test Drive include the renowned Stanford University in Palo Alto and visits to world-famous high-tech companies such as Intel, Google, Apple, eBay and Sun Microsystems. These locations illustrate smart’s proximity to information technology that is characterized by creativity, visions and the courage to make pioneering decisions. The Computer History Museum at the heart of Silicon Valley in Mountain View does not only bring the history of the computer to life; a special limited exhibition also shows the development of smart with outstanding concept cars. The comparison of the evolution of computers with the smart fortwo also clearly shows that greatness is not a matter of size. Despite its compact dimensions, the smart fortwo offers the driver and passenger remarkable freedom of movement equal to or greater than some larger cars. On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, the two-seater quickly became popular following its launch in October 1998. The same is expected to hold true in the United States. More than 770,000 customers opted for a first generation smart fortwo; often to replace a larger car with the lively two-seater. The smart fortwo is a special car and clearly stands out from the crowd. It should not be taken for granted - the smart fortwo is simply fun to drive.Apart from this, the vehicle concept is extremely practical - especially for people who live in large urban areas. Many Americans drive with just a single occupant. The size of the smart fortwo allows for faster movements in cities. Finding a parking space will also be simplified. In the context of the U.S. market smart is also redefining the distribution concept. This includes the new smart Center San Francisco. Roger Penske and Penske Automotive Group (PAG) will serve as the official distributor for the smart fortwo beginning in 2008. This partnership is unique and also demonstrates forward-thinking on the part of smart. The American mindset is changing. The smart fortwo proves that greatness is not a question of size. The smart fortwo has been embraced in the States long before the first vehicles are expected to arrive in the showrooms. The 24 week smart USA “street smart” road show has been touring the USA since May with three display trailers, test drive vehicles and product specialists presenting the smart fortwo from coast to coast. To date, the road show has attracted and convinced 65,000 visitors. The road show will continue until early November and when complete is expected to reach over 75,000 people in over 50 cities across the United States. The presentation of the brand and the road show have been very well received by the U.S. consumers and the American press. In many cities across the country, consumers waited in line for over an hour to test drive a fortwo. Many waited in temperatures over 100 ° F whilst others drove over 3 hours to attend a smart road show event. In the end road show surveys indicated the smart fortwo met or exceeded expectations. The presentation of the brand and model has been very well received by the US public and the press. For example, in Las Vegas; here, people waited patiently for an hour in temperatures of 104°F to test drive the cars in the parking garage of the Fashion Show Mall. Some even went straight back to the end of the queue again after the short jaunt in order to drive a smart one more time. Many enthusiastic comments were heard: “Driving a smart is really great. It’s really good fun.” Over 30,000 Americans have placed a $99 deposit on a smart fortwo. Dealers will begin to fill orders in January 2008. smart USA’s website - www.smartusa.com - has received over 3 million visits since June 2006, over 95,000 people have signed up as smart “insiders” and visitors spend an average of over five minutes on the site. The reaction of dealers has also been overwhelming: smart USA received more than 1400 applications. Although many were qualified, only a few were selected. Approximately 70 carefully selected dealerships will sell the fortwo in 2008 in major cities across the United States.

(from Ferrari Press Release) FXX programme extended for further two years thanks to new evolution kit developed with assistance of Client Test-Drivers

The innovative FXX programme, based on the eponymous prototype car and launched by Ferrari in June 2005, is being extended to 2008/2009. The FXX, which is the most advanced GT ever created at Maranello, has been updated with an evolution package aimed at further improving its handling and performance. The package was developed as a result of Ferrari's collaboration with its Client Test Drivers and with the invaluable support of Michael Schumacher. The FXXs equipped with this package will also sport a new livery in addition to new rear wing profiles.

The FXX is not homologated for road use and there are no plans to compete with it either. In fact, the FXX prototype is designed exclusively for track driving as part of a specific R&D programme agreed with a selected group of just over 20 clients involving 14 group test sessions and 14 private ones in the last two years. Thanks to readings taken over the 16,500 kilometres of tests carried out in 2006 and the 18,500 kilometres covered in 2007, the modifications made to the car have focused on honing its aerodynamics, running gear and electronics. Seven-times Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher also joined the ranks of the client test drivers and gave the programme the benefit of his vast experience on several occasions.

Maranello's engineers studied the wealth of information gained to develop a kit which will cut the FXX's Fiorano lap time to under 1'16'' (previously it was 1'18''). The FXX's 6262 cc V12 engine can now punch out a massive 860 hp at 9500 rpm. Gearshifting takes just 60 ms, a drop of 20 ms on the previous time, and the gear ratios have been adapted to make use of the extra 1000 rpm now delivered by the engine.

The FXX evolution package includes participation in a series of track events that Ferrari is organising at international circuits for 2008/2009. Six events are planned for each year (two in North America, two in Europe and two in Asia). In addition to these, the FXXs will also be participating, as per tradition, in the prestigious end-of-season Ferrari World Finals.

10/29/2007

What We KnowThe 2008 Maserati GranTurismo, a two-door coupe to complement the Quattroporte sedan, is yet another Italian beauty, this one penned by Pininfarina's Jason Castriota.

Successor to Maserati's Guigiaro-designed coupe and spyder, the upcoming GT is built on a shortened version of the Quattroporte's chassis. The GranTurismo is powered by a 405-horsepower version of the same Ferrari-sourced 4.2-liter V8 found across the Maserati range. In a nod toward the crucially important American market, where Maserati hopes to achieve significant sales gains with the GT, power is sent to the rear wheels through the ZF-built six-speed automatic transmission that just became available in the Quattroporte. With a platform converted from the rear-transaxle configuration necessary for the automated manual gearbox to the front-mounted automatic transmission, the GranTurismo should provide enough rear-seat space to make it something more than a cramped 2+2. Nevertheless, we expect a weight distribution of 49 percent front/51 percent rear, which should ensure excellent maneuverability. Meanwhile the GranTurismo's suspension will be similar in configuration to the Quattroporte's double-wishbone setup, but it'll be supplemented by Maserati's Skyhook active damping system. Throughout the rest of the car, extensive use of carbon composites and aluminum should provide the GT with an exhilarating power-to-weight ratio. Maserati hopes the GT will help alter the misperception that its cars are prohibitively expensive. Prices should begin somewhere around $110,000, putting the GT Coupe in good position to steal business from Porsche's 911 and the Mercedes-Benz SL. A hardtop convertible version of the GT, powered by a larger-bore version of the 4.2 and delivering around 470 hp, should arrive later in the year, and a Competizione model is sure to follow.What Edmunds.com saysA gorgeous coupe with a Ferrari engine and a reasonable price. What more do you need?

10/28/2007

As part of its new brand image, Mercedes-Benz is for the first time introducing an “acoustic trademark”: the new sound logo, which will be used in all ad broadcasts starting on November 1, 2007, is intended to enhance the further developed brand design. Combined with a new film fade-out, the distinctive sound serves to focus attention more sharply on the star as the Mercedes-Benz trademark.“Our new sound logo is going to make the Mercedes-Benz brand not only visually, but also acoustically distinctive, and thus more quickly recognizable,” says Dr. Olaf Göttgens, Vice President Brand Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars. “This acoustic trademark is a perfect fit for Mercedes-Benz — it is emotional, elegant, and unmistakably associated with our brand.” The Mercedes-Benz sound logo is based on an original recording of an English boys choir from the 1990s. Sound engineers extracted a choir boy’s solo vocal from the recording and adapted it for use in the sound logo. The logo was developed in cooperation with Jung von Matt, Mercedes-Benz’ lead agency.

The Dodge offers a thirsty 3.7-liter V6 petrol engine, or a suitably grunty 2.8-litre diesel; with 460Nm of torque, it isn’t short of pulling power. It’s smooth enough at idle, but is not terribly refined. The five-speed auto gives reasonably smooth changes, though, and the brakes have good feel and impressive performance. Sadly, the handling is a letdown, and the ride is uncomfortable. It seems to make no attempt at smoothing out bumps, crashing into them instead. At speed, the steering feels disconcertingly light either side of the dead-ahead position, yet at parking speeds the wheel becomes heavy. There’s also a fair degree of body roll to contend with in corners.

If you’re going to name a car Nitro, you can hardly give it insipid styling. Dodge’s designers haven’t done that – it looks like a great big toy truck. It’s not subtle or sophisticated, but certainly has presence. The all-American off-roader is packed with character, and is a stand-out budget rival to the Land Rover Discovery. It competes alongside models including the Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan Pathfinder and Kia Sorento. There are just the two engines, and two trim lines – SE and SXT. The diesel version will easily be the best seller, and it’s offered with a six-sped manual or a five-speed auto gearbox. Equipment levels are all-inclusive and prices are extremely competitive; the base diesel comes in at under £20,000.

While it looks solid and expensive from the outside, the same can’t be said of the interior. The plastics are cheap and brittle, build quality is average and as with the exterior, square lines dominate. The dash is also exceptionally shallow for an SUV, giving the Nitro an old-fashioned feel. At least the controls are logically laid out, while you won’t miss the pistol-grip handbrake; it’s one of the largest we have ever encountered. You sit high up front, and the driving position could do with more adjustment. The rear initially feels OK, with good headroom and lots of legroom. However, the rear seats don’t offer enough underthigh support, and the transmission tunnel forces middle occupants to angle their feet uncomfortably out. The 389-litre boot is a reasonable size and there’s a slide-out floor. However, even the diesel isn’t very economical and retained values are unimpressive, though servicing costs are low.

10/27/2007

What's New for 2008Significant changes are in store for the 2008 Chrysler 300. An updated interior includes new soft-touch surfaces, revised instrument panel and console designs, and available LED accent lighting. New luxury-oriented options include adaptive cruise control, a surround-sound audio system, a dedicated iPod interface, Sirius Backseat TV for the rear entertainment system and a new hard-drive based MyGIG multimedia system with optional navigation.

Safety has been enhanced with new front seat-mounted side airbags added to the 300's available side curtain airbag system. Wrapping everything up is freshened front and rear exterior styling and Chrysler's new limited lifetime powertrain warranty.

IntroductionMold-breaking cars don't come along very often. But that's exactly what happened when the Chrysler 300 debuted four years ago. Previous to the 300, modern full-size cars provided plenty of interior room and comfort but typically generated all the pizzazz and excitement of an ice cream social in a Florida retirement community. With the 300, Chrysler proved that this type of car could actually be fun and desirable. Shoppers loved its artful, edgy styling, rear-drive layout and powerful V8 engine options, and it was an immediate hit.

Powertrains and PerformanceThe base rear-wheel-drive 300 LX comes with a 2.7-liter V6 good for 178 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. Touring and Limited models upgrade to a 3.5-liter V6 capable of 250 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. These two models are available with your choice of either rear- or all-wheel drive, as is the more muscular 300C with its 5.7-liter Hemi V8 that generates 340 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque.

Through its striking design with large air intakes at the front and the rear wing so characteristic of this very special model, the new 911 GT2 expresses the power and performance potential of the fastest-ever 911 right from the start even at a standstill. Available exclusively with rear-wheel drive and a manual six-speed gearbox, this high-performance athlete accelerates to 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 329 km/h (204 mph) on average fuel consumption of just 12.5 litres/100 km (equal to 22.6 mpg imp) in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), thus offering a level of fuel economy regarded as quite impossible in this performance class just a few years ago.

The power unit of the new 911 GT2 is based on the six-cylinder boxer engine of the 911 Turbo, with air supply by two exhaust gas turbochargers featuring variable turbine geometry (VTG). The 3.6-litre boxer engine achieves its maximum output of 530 bhp (390 kW) at 6500 rpm, with maximum torque of 680 Newton-metres maintained consistently between 2,200 and 4,500 rpm. With its unladen weight of 1,440 kg or 3,175 lb, finally, the 911 GT2 offers a power-to-weight ratio of just 2.72 kg/6.00 lb per horsepower.

The increase in engine power by 50 bhp over the ”regular“ power unit is provided in the new 911 GT2 by two turbochargers with a larger compressor wheel and a flow-optimised turbine housing raising turbocharger pressure to an even higher level. And for the first time Porsche’s engineers have combined the turbocharged engine with an expansion-type intake manifold – a genuine revolution on turbocharged power units.

The new 911 GT2 will be at the dealership in November 2007. The base price of the car in Germany is Euro 159,100.-, the market price including 19 per cent value-added tax Euro 189,496

The Dodge offers a thirsty 3.7-liter V6 petrol engine, or a suitably grunty 2.8-litre diesel; with 460Nm of torque, it isn’t short of pulling power. It’s smooth enough at idle, but is not terribly refined. The five-speed auto gives reasonably smooth changes, though, and the brakes have good feel and impressive performance. Sadly, the handling is a letdown, and the ride is uncomfortable. It seems to make no attempt at smoothing out bumps, crashing into them instead. At speed, the steering feels disconcertingly light either side of the dead-ahead position, yet at parking speeds the wheel becomes heavy. There’s also a fair degree of body roll to contend with in corners.

If you’re going to name a car Nitro, you can hardly give it insipid styling. Dodge’s designers haven’t done that – it looks like a great big toy truck. It’s not subtle or sophisticated, but certainly has presence. The all-American off-roader is packed with character, and is a stand-out budget rival to the Land Rover Discovery. It competes alongside models including the Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan Pathfinder and Kia Sorento. There are just the two engines, and two trim lines – SE and SXT. The diesel version will easily be the best seller, and it’s offered with a six-sped manual or a five-speed auto gearbox. Equipment levels are all-inclusive and prices are extremely competitive; the base diesel comes in at under £20,000.

While it looks solid and expensive from the outside, the same can’t be said of the interior. The plastics are cheap and brittle, build quality is average and as with the exterior, square lines dominate. The dash is also exceptionally shallow for an SUV, giving the Nitro an old-fashioned feel. At least the controls are logically laid out, while you won’t miss the pistol-grip handbrake; it’s one of the largest we have ever encountered. You sit high up front, and the driving position could do with more adjustment. The rear initially feels OK, with good headroom and lots of legroom. However, the rear seats don’t offer enough underthigh support, and the transmission tunnel forces middle occupants to angle their feet uncomfortably out. The 389-litre boot is a reasonable size and there’s a slide-out floor. However, even the diesel isn’t very economical and retained values are unimpressive, though servicing costs are low.

10/25/2007

The R.D:B.X... as in Round Box. Could this be a hint of what will replace the (currently) JDM only Nissan Cube? Japan's youth, who are already way too cool for the current model, let alone the Toyota Bb (Scion XB), should certainly hope so.

Check out that amazing interior, complete with a totally digital dash, in our high-res gallery of live shots below

The corner was slow, even unremarkable. A constant-radius, 2nd-gear curve that happened to be a part of Circuito de Balocco, Fiat's official test track, although it could have been any decent-size roundabout in the world.

Back From the Brink of Front-Wheel DriveThese are such simple pleasures that it seems absurd that one of the world's most evocative, emotive marques, one that built its brand on pure driving pleasure, has been denying them to its devotees this last decade and a half. Since 1992, a rear-wheel-drive Alfa Romeo has not been available, as a succession of front- and all-wheel-drive platforms was supplied to Alfa Romeo from its Fiat parent.

The car responsible is the 2009 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. It's been a long time coming. First shown in concept form at the 2003 Frankfurt Auto Show, the car finally is scheduled to go into production next year. You know the wait has been worth it as soon as you see how little its shape deviates from the original, how wonderfully proportioned it is and how it acknowledges Alfa's past without being defined by it.

All 500 8Cs that will be made in 2008-'09 were sold long before anyone so much as sat in one, even at a price of about $226,000. The 8C will also reintroduce Alfa Romeo to the United States. About 99 cars of the production allotment will cross the pond, and then 500 8C Spiders will be built and a batch will also come to America.Speed ThrillsHard driving is what this car invites more than most, even in the rarefied air of the six-figure supercar. After waiting so long for an Alfa whose direction of travel can be determined as much by your foot as your fingers, the temptation to streak off into the sunset is overwhelming. Only the concrete confines of Balocco stop us from doing so.

Initial impressions are uniformly good. The engine note is perfect. This 450-horsepower V8 has a similar capacity to a small-block Ford in the classic Mustang, but its voice is not a transatlantic rumble but instead the smooth, sweet melody of the true European aristocrat. Hit the Sport button, which sharpens the throttle response, cuts the shift times in half and opens a valve in the exhaust, and the 8C sounds at once gloriously rich, angry and assertive.

There are 354 pound-feet of torque at 4,750 rpm, so if you hit the throttle pedal hard enough, this Alfa sits back on its heels, takes a deep breath and then cannons you up the road, with its fat, rear 285/35R20 Pirellis yelping all the way. The engine develops its 450 hp all the way up at 7,000 rpm, and the 8C will fling you past 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.2 seconds on its way to the far side of 180 mph. The swiftness of the gearchanges doesn't defy logic as with the Ferrari 430 Scuderia, but it's still quicker than you'd manage on your own.

What's New for 2008Honda Accord has been fully redesigned for 2008. It's bigger and roomier. New four- and six-cylinder engines are not only more powerful, they either match or surpass their predecessors in terms of fuel economy.

2008 Honda Accord Vehicle OverviewIntroductionStill available in sedan and coupe body styles, the all-new 2008 Honda Accord is most obviously highlighted by its slick new styling. The two-door is particularly striking, as it's mostly unchanged from the Accord concept car that debuted at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show. The sedan, meanwhile, has an eye-catching elegance that sets it apart from past Accords, which were mostly understated to the point of anonymity. Although, once the first 100,000 2008 Accords hit the streets, the sedan may start to seem pretty anonymous, too.

The biggest news lies under the hood, where Honda has devoted its considerable engine expertise to perfecting three power plants that deliver both performance and fuel efficiency. Available on EX sedans and all coupes, the midlevel inline-four-cylinder produces a best-in-class 190 horsepower -- by comparison, the 1998 all-new Accord featured an optional V6 that produced 200 hp. All that power comes at no fuel economy expense, as it matches the fuel economy estimates of the previous model's four-cylinder.

A new 3.5-liter V6 debuts as well. This engine equals the hefty horsepower and torque ratings of the Toyota Camry's V6, but falls a wee bit short of the Altima 3.5. New to this segment is Honda's cylinder-deactivation technology, which allows the engine to run on six, four or three cylinders depending on driving conditions for maximum fuel economy. The result is an improvement of 3 highway mpg over the last V6, despite 24 more horses. As a matter of fact, all 2008 Accord engines get better highway fuel economy than the 125-hp 1990 Accord and even come close to the tiny 68-hp 1977 edition. Now that's progress.

10/24/2007

A press event has never been so well attended, or dangerously overcrowded. But we got to the front in time to watch in car footage of a GT-R lapping the Nurburgring in 7:38.5, then out came Carlos to claim that his new baby is the best that Nissan has ever produced – and we're inclined to agree. Unsurprisingly the show car is silver, and, well looks pretty much like it did in the spy shots, but the shock was that Mr. Ghosn committed to Nissan fielding GT-Rs in next year's Super GT Championship. Could this be the start of another R32-like Godzilla race track domination?Deliveries start in next month, and to the rest of the world by the end of 2008. Check out the gallery, we'll have tech specs up soon.

Will Porsche buy out Volkswagen? A Teutonic takeover looks on the cards after Europe's highest court (most powerful, that is, not one at especially lofty altitude) ruled a law protecting VW from foreign takeovers is illegal.

The so-called 'VW Law' had prevented Porsche from exercising more than 20 per cent of its voting rights over Volkswagen, despite owning a 31 per cent stake.

But the European Court of Justice ruled that the law - which was originally drawn up back in 1960 to prevent VW being taken over by hostile foreign investors - contravened the principles of the European Single Market.

That means that Porsche will soon be free to take its stake in VW to 50 per cent, giving it overall control. Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking said today, "We obviously have a high interest in exercising our voting rights in full." Watch out, VW.

So does this mean we'll see a VW 911 Turbo or, worse, a Porsche Polo? Unlikely, but the two companies have already collaborated on the Touareg/Cayenne project, so don't rule out the possibility of more production crossover.

In any case, insiders say that Porsche is unlikely to raise its stake in VW until next year? Пiving all you Mk II Golf owners time to remove that 'My Other Car's A Porsche' sticker from the rear window.

Saturday wasn’t England’s night; however, for one person in the packed Stade de France Stadium the celebratory mood could not be dampened. Jessica Wright won tickets to the final, along with a brand new Peugeot 207 CC as part of the manufacturer’s sponsorship of the 2007 iRB Rugby World Cup.Jessica, from Brixton, entered the prize draw, whilst taking a test drive of a Peugeot 207 CC with her aunt at Robins and Day Peugeot, Clapham in July. As a part of the Peugeot 207 Rugby World Cup prize draw, she won a brand new Peugeot 207 CC and a pair of tickets to see England and South Africa battling it out to win the Webb Ellis Trophy. “I really didn’t expect to win,” said an excited Jessica. “I thought the car was fantastic after test driving it in July, and was very jealous when my aunt purchased one. I can’t wait to get out and about in mine; I just hope the nice weather continues so I can get the top down!” Jessica was presented with her Flamenco Red 207 CC 1.6-litre HDi 110 Sport, in time to see England’s heroic performance against South Africa. “I was so excited about going to the final, and completely gutted for the England boys, they fought so hard against South Africa.” Peugeot kicked-off its 207 Test Drive competition nationally in July and August, anyone who test drove a 207 was entered into the prize draw, 39 runners up received pairs of tickets to fixtures throughout the 2007 World cup campaign. The Peugeot 207 CC is the UK’s leading small Coupe-Cabriolet and is available in showrooms now with a 1.6-litre petrol or HDi diesel engines with emissions from 136g/km CO2 (1.6-litre HDi 110 with DPFS model).

10/23/2007

No car maker has embraced hybrid technology quite like Lexus. While rivals moan about high development costs and technical inefficiencies, the Japanese manufacturer is committed to combining petrol and electric power – and the next vehicle in its highly charged line-up is the LS600h.

We have already tried the techno­logy in a left-hand drive version of the new car (Issue 958). But how does it work here on the UK’s roads? The first impression with any LS is its vast scale – especially in this long-wheelbase guise. Apart from its subtle badging, the hybrid shares the sombre styling of other variants. Even the twin chrome exhausts remain, hinting at its performance potential.

Under the bonnet is a 389bhp 5.0-litre V8. Add to that the thrust of an electric motor, and output is boosted to 439bhp. The final technical flourish is to feed power to all four wheels.

The cabin features the familiar LS dashboard with its huge array of buttons. While German rivals have opted for a central control system, there seems to be a switch for everything here – including EV (Electric Vehicle). Press it, pull away and the LS wafts in near silence through slow traffic. Refinement is astonishing as the batteries power the vehicle. Only when the charge runs out or you press hard on the acceler­ator does the petrol V8 kick in.

Lexus claims a 0-62mph time of 6.3 seconds, although real-world perfor­mance doesn’t feel so sprightly. With the CVT gearbox offering change-free acceleration, the luxury saloon isn’t slow, but it seems no quicker than a diesel-powered Mercedes S-Class.

We also struggled to match the maker’s claimed economy. Driving mostly in town, the Lexus returned little better than 24mpg, according to its trip computer – a long way short of the official 30.4mpg combined fig­ure. Official CO2 emissions are low, though; the 219g/km output is on a par with cars from the class below.

Away from traffic, the driving experience is similar to that of other LS models. While the motorway ride is smooth, it struggles to cope with sharp jolts and bumps. Tackling corners at speed leaves the Lexus floundering compared with Audi’s A8.

The new hybrid LS is a technological tour de force. Its superb refinement and peerless build quality are likely to be enough to tempt some buyers – although the compromised economy will be a turn-off for others.

The all-new Ford Mondeo is showing drivers more of the road thanks to the car's adaptive front lighting system (AFS) which beams light round corners. AFS incorporates halogen lamps linked to sensors which detect steering input and can swivel up to 15 degrees. This system improves visibility when negotiating tight bends, particularly on roads where the only light source is the car's headlamps. In comparative tests between conventional halogen reflector lamps and AFS, the AFS lamps cast light an additional 10 metres into the bend. Allied to static corner lighting, AFS greatly improves visibility.Static, low level cornering lights are another feature of AFS. They are automatically turned on when the car is travelling below 37mph, and the steering wheel turns at an angle of at least 30 degrees. This helps to avoid accidents in reduced visibility and is particularly useful during tight manoeuvres such as turning into driveways. New Mondeo can also be specified with Bi-Xenon lamps which include static cornering lights, plus automatic headlamp levelling and washer jets. Bi-Xenons offer twice the light density on the road at one-third of the energy input of conventional lights.Test show that while AFS headlamps have a range of 155m, Bi-Xenons illuminate up to 245m of the road ahead. Karsten Foese, Ford adaptive lighting programme leader, said: “The safety advantage is clear: pedestrians, animals or objects on the road can all be seen earlier when entering a bend or manoeuvring. Adaptive lighting offers greatly increased visibility for the driver, and reduced glare for oncoming drivers.”

10/22/2007

The new BMW 1 Series Coupé features rear-wheel-drive dynamics and seating for four (2+2). The BMW 135i is powered by BMW’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine, which produces 300 horsepower and direct piezo gasoline injectors, twin low-mass turbochargers and air-to-air intercooling. The car accelerates from 0-62 mph in 5.3 seconds. The engine features on-demand engine coolant pumps that improve fuel economy. Starting in the spring of 2008 in the U.S., the 1 Series Coupe will be available in two versions; the 128i and the 135i, with an M Aerodynamic Kit.

SummaryThough it's a well-rounded package, the 2008 Mitsubishi Endeavor is increasingly lost amidst a growing crowd of very good SUVs.ProsCarlike ride and handling, spacious seating front and back, solid build quality, torquey V6 engine, long warranty coverage.ConsNo available third-row seat, less cargo capacity than competitors, missing a few common features, some mediocre interior materials.

What's New for 2008Traction control is now standard on all Endeavors, while two-tone leather upholstery is now standard on the SE trim level, along with contrasting stitching. The rear glass no longer opens independently of the hatch on the LS trim level.

2008 Mitsubishi Endeavor Vehicle OverviewIntroductionThere's more to the 2008 Mitsubishi Endeavor than huge fender flares and exaggerated body bulges. That's saying quite a lot, since this midsize five-passenger crossover SUV is festooned with the type of body adornment that makes you wonder if the folks at the factory accidentally included the prototype's styling excesses on the production model. Yet between the Endeavor's love-it-or-hate-it swollen sides is a vehicle that offers solid driving dynamics, a gutsy V6, a roomy cabin and good build quality.

The 2008 Mitsubishi Endeavor is a dark-horse candidate to be sure, overshadowed by newer and/or better-known five-passenger crossovers like the Ford Edge, Mazda CX-7, Hyundai Santa Fe or even Mitsubishi's own Outlander, which offers almost as much interior space and more high-tech goodies. Also, larger crossovers like the Ford Taurus X and GMC Acadia have room for seven, while besting the Endeavor's meager fuel economy. If its ambitious styling floats your boat, though, and you can live without two extra seats, the 2008 Endeavor is a good choice that provides safe, comfortable and well-built family transportation.

Honda has announced it will begin sales of the Honda Fit (known as Jazz in Europe) in Japan on Friday, October 26, 2007. The hugely popular small car retains all its best features – class leading economy, cabin space to rival mid-sized saloons, and easy manoeuvrability – yet has been brought bang up-to-date with some subtle design changes, and clever interior space solutions.Two engines will be available on the new car, a 1.5-litre i-VTEC and a super frugal 1.3-litre i-VTEC which delivers maximum output of 100PS. CVT transmission is also available. In the chassis, a longer wheelbase and wider track offer even better stability, manoeuvrability and handling. Honda Fit was first introduced in Japan in June 2001. It is now being produced in six factories in five countries and sold in approximately 115 countries around the world. Cumulatively, sales of Fit and Jazz exceed two million units. A rotating passenger seat is available on the Japanese car which takes full advantage of the Fit’s easy access. The seat has a higher position than previously, has additional foot space and features a specially contoured seat cushion. The seat enables easy loading and unloading of a wheelchair through the rear seats. A new Jazz for the European market will go on sale late in 2008. No details of this car have been announced.

10/21/2007

It's not commonly known, but jet lag is cured by high-speed injections of German autobahn, a volksremedium we discovered long ago, at 180 mph in a Porsche 928 S4.

And it still works. Better than melatonin, mile-high liaisons, or other familiar folk remedies, there's no surer cure for jet lag than redlining a Porsche on an unrestricted autobahn-as we're about to reaffirm in the 2008 911 GT2, the best Porsche ever unleashed on an undeserving everyman. (Don't even think about owning one if you can't handle full opposite lock or payments on an MSRP of $191,700.)

Driving the 530-horsepower two-seater at 180 mph doesn't cure our jet lag as much as expel it violently from the car, but heavy rain means reaching the GT2's top speed of 205 mph is out of the question. Even with double the previous GT2's downforce from the new Le Mans racer-inspired body and rear wing, and excellent grip from the 19-inch Pirellis, the GT2 is too much car for the conditions. We also keep Porsche's spectacularly efficient stability-management systems, suitably modified for the GT2's higher limits, on full alert, leaving it to others to find out what happens when the driver is let loose in the most powerful, fastest, and costliest 911 ever. That part of the test is conducted on an unused airport's runways by Walter Rohrl, former rally champ and current Porsche test driver, who, in perilously slippery conditions, dispensed a pure dose of GT2.

"This car was ninety-percent done before I ever drove it," shouts Rohrl over the roar of the biturbo's new titanium exhaust, one of the strategies to lighten up a platform that began life in the same gene pool as the "standard" all-wheel-drive 911 Turbo. "It was that good, but the final 10 percent can be learned only by driving."

And what did he learn?

"This is the best 911 ever," he pronounces, left hand and right foot executing a perfect power slide. "Race car, street car, the best."

Much of Rohrl's opinion, and the GT2's final suspension tuning, was formulated on the Nurburgring's Nordschleife, where he set a time of 7:32, faster than the previous GT2's 7:46, the fastest for any production-series 911 and comparable with the Carrera GT. "It has the power and stability of a good race car, but it drives more easily," he continues, shifting down through the six-speed manual gearbox as quick as a cardshark flashes aces.Key to the GT2's fleeter feet is 300 pounds of shed weight via composite front bucket seats, elimination of the rear seats, an aluminum rear-axle subframe, the plastic rear lid and wing, a composite intake manifold and lightweight front aluminum brake hats, which, along with standard ceramic composite brake rotors, means less weight at the nose, a valuable ingredient of the GT2's steering-quick, precise, and the best we've ever felt in a 911."Turn-in is fantastic," Rohrl yells, his left hand gripping the wheel as lightly as if it were a lover's fingertips. "You always know just how much steering is needed," he says, illustrating the point with a bit of one-handed countersteer through a wet corner.

Though it's not homologated to race in any professional series, the GT2 is racetrack-ready. The chassis sits an inch lower than the 911 Carrera's and can be fine-tuned via adjustable anti-roll bars, spring plates, and wheel camber plates. A partial rollcage and fire system are optional, but not the full cage available in most other parts of the world. Most important to the talented few, the traction controls can be entirely disabled.

Rohrl pushes the proper buttons to do so, and, now using both hands to steer, purposely takes a bone-headed apex to show how easily the car transforms sideways movement into forward momentum. "No understeer," he shouts. "New front kinematics!" Rohrl also endorses the GT2's command of any road surface. "This is not a race car. You can go racing in it and have fun, but you can also drive it from Stuttgart to Berlin and not feel any pain."

It's also a great antidote to a muddled mind, snapping every sense to attention and replacing jet lag's sluggish distortion of time and space with an intensified perception of the here and now. Groovy.

SummaryThough it's a well-rounded package, the 2008 Mitsubishi Endeavor is increasingly lost amidst a growing crowd of very good SUVs.ProsCarlike ride and handling, spacious seating front and back, solid build quality, torquey V6 engine, long warranty coverage.ConsNo available third-row seat, less cargo capacity than competitors, missing a few common features, some mediocre interior materials.

What's New for 2008Traction control is now standard on all Endeavors, while two-tone leather upholstery is now standard on the SE trim level, along with contrasting stitching. The rear glass no longer opens independently of the hatch on the LS trim level.

2008 Mitsubishi Endeavor Vehicle OverviewIntroductionThere's more to the 2008 Mitsubishi Endeavor than huge fender flares and exaggerated body bulges. That's saying quite a lot, since this midsize five-passenger crossover SUV is festooned with the type of body adornment that makes you wonder if the folks at the factory accidentally included the prototype's styling excesses on the production model. Yet between the Endeavor's love-it-or-hate-it swollen sides is a vehicle that offers solid driving dynamics, a gutsy V6, a roomy cabin and good build quality.

The 2008 Mitsubishi Endeavor is a dark-horse candidate to be sure, overshadowed by newer and/or better-known five-passenger crossovers like the Ford Edge, Mazda CX-7, Hyundai Santa Fe or even Mitsubishi's own Outlander, which offers almost as much interior space and more high-tech goodies. Also, larger crossovers like the Ford Taurus X and GMC Acadia have room for seven, while besting the Endeavor's meager fuel economy. If its ambitious styling floats your boat, though, and you can live without two extra seats, the 2008 Endeavor is a good choice that provides safe, comfortable and well-built family transportation.

10/20/2007

Low, sleek and yet self-consciously aggressive, the 2008 Aston Martin DBS is the ultimate expression of the contemporary Aston Martin.

The 2008 Aston Martin DBS is the car that Aston CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez describes as "thunder and lightning." Aston Martin must achieve the prestige of Ferrari to survive as an influential manufacturer of sports cars, and that means the DBS must measure up against the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.

A Surprising StartFor the DBS, Aston Martin presents you with a plastic controller topped with a crystal, described as an ECU — Emotion Control Unit. (Well, it'll be stainless steel and a sapphire if you actually pay the $265,000.) It slots into the center of the starter button, which then glows warmly red as the 5,935cc V12 comes to life.

This is the same Ford-designed engine featured in the DB9, still assembled by hand in Cologne, Germany. It's been slightly revised for the DBS, and the changes include a taller 10.9:1 compression ratio and a bypass valve in the intake tract that opens at 5,500 rpm to admit more air into the engine at peak rpm. The upshot of this is a 60-horsepower hike in power from the DB9's 450-hp calibration to 510 hp at 6,500 rpm. The torque output remains unchanged at 420 pound-feet, available at 5,750 rpm.

The deep, rich tone from the V12 engine is instantly familiar, now a signature of Aston Martin. Reach out for the shift lever of the six-speed manual transmission (an automated sequential manual will be available later), and slot into 1st gear. The shift action is heavy, as you would expect from a rear-mounted transaxle required to process so much power, yet it's precise and manageable, while the clutch action is light and linear. The DBS might be powerful, but it's not intimidating.

10/19/2007

Diesel power is the hot ticket at Le Mans right now after the dominant win by Audi's R10 this year and Peugeot coming next year. But technology always moves on in racing (unless you're talking Nascar, but that's a whole other story). By the middle of the next decade, racers will likely have moved on to something else, and Acura is playing off of parent Honda's fuel cell efforts by showing drawings of a potential fuel cell powered Le Mans racer. It's unlikely a racer will look much like any of these drawings, but some of the technology could make it to the track. More drawings and a press release after the jump.